The wild grass in the field reached nearly halfway up Razaq's body. Every time the wind blew, the green blades swayed gently, brushing against his still-chubby cheeks. It felt good. Refreshing.
Razaq stretched, cushioning his head with both hands. His eyes were fixed upward. The evening sky was painted in twilight—a shy blend of blue and orange, teetering on the edge of darkness.
Occasionally, his gaze drifted toward the distance. To the north. Toward that tower.
The Archmage Tower.
Its height defied logic. From here, though it appeared only as a faint black silhouette on the horizon, Razaq knew it was the most magnificent structure in the entire kingdom. People said it was built with high-level earth magic by the first Archmage thousands of years ago. It remained sturdy. It still soared. A constant reminder that there was a world out there—a world far larger than Lamping Village.
"Razaaaq!"
A shout came from behind. Razaq didn't even need to turn.
"Ra— oh, you're already here!"
A boy with messy hair appeared by Razaq's side. In his right hand, he carried a banana leaf bundle—the contents were obvious: boiled cassava. Faint wisps of steam still rose from it.
"Been here long?" the boy asked, plunking himself down beside Razaq without a care for his dirt-stained pants.
"Just got here."
Usaid—his best friend since the age of three, his neighbor, his playmate—immediately offered the bundle. "Eat. Mom sent this. She said you like it."
Razaq sat up slowly. He took a piece. It was still warm. "Thanks."
Usaid was already chewing hungrily. He looked at the sky, then at the tower in the distance, then back at the sky. It was as if he were counting the clouds.
"Ra, do you see that tower?"
"Yeah."
"It's cool, isn't it?"
"Cool."
Usaid suddenly stood up. He tucked both hands at his waist in a heroic pose, just like the ones in the storybooks they used to read at the village library.
"One day," Usaid declared loudly, his eyes still fixed on the tower, "I am going to be an Archmage."
Razaq stopped chewing and looked at Usaid.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Dead sure!"
Razaq smiled. "Good. Me too."
Usaid turned his head sharply. "Huh? You too?"
"Yeah. I want to be an Archmage as well."
"Seriously?!" Usaid sat back down, his eyes sparkling. "I thought you were just the quiet type, that you didn't have a dream!"
"I have one. I just don't need to shout it like you do."
Usaid laughed. "Alright then! We'll become Archmages together! Imagine, two Archmages from Lamping Village! Crazy!"
"Not together. Rivals."
"Rivals?"
"Yeah. Me against you. Let's see who becomes an Archmage first."
Usaid blinked. Then he grinned widely. "DEAL! But if I win, you have to treat me to good food for a whole year!"
"And if I win, you have to stop wetting the bed."
"I DON'T WET THE BED ANYMORE!"
They laughed together. The laughter of two children who had just made a grand promise.
That afternoon, they decided to play in the forest before it got completely dark.
It wasn't just any forest—it was the woods within the safety perimeter. The elders said as long as they didn't go too deep, there would be no trouble. The birds were still chirping, and sunlight could still pierce through the gaps in the leaves.
"Ra, catch me!" Usaid shouted as he ran.
Razaq gave chase. Their laughter filled the woods. They played hide-and-seek among the trees, searched for insects, and collected uniquely shaped leaves.
Until—
The sound of a breaking branch.
Snap.
They stopped, exchanging looks.
"What was that?" Usaid whispered.
Razaq shook his head. His throat suddenly felt dry.
From behind a large tree in front of them, about seven paces away, a creature emerged slowly. Pitch-black fur covered its entire body. It was four-legged. About the size of a large dog.
Its eyes—its eyes stared directly at them.
Razaq felt his heart skip a beat.
Usaid, beside him, was the same. Both were like statues. They wanted to run, but their legs felt stiff, rooted to the ground.
"Us..." Razaq tried to find his voice. "Run..."
But his legs wouldn't move.
The monster took one step forward. Dry leaves crunched beneath its paws. Then another step. It didn't look ferocious. It didn't growl. It just... approached.
"I-I can't move," Usaid whispered, his voice trembling.
Razaq grabbed Usaid's hand. His own hand was shaking just as much.
The monster stepped again. Now, the distance was only about four paces.
And just as the monster was almost right in front of them—
"I'M TRYING SOMETHING!"
Usaid suddenly screamed. His eyes were clamped shut. His body shook violently.
Then—
A shadow.
From behind Usaid, something emerged. Faint. Dark-colored. Razaq blinked. It was... the shape of a rock? Yes, it looked exactly like the large rock beside them.
But it was just a shadow. Flat. Two-dimensional. It didn't move. It just... existed.
The monster halted its steps.
Its eyes moved, looking at Usaid, looking at Razaq, and then at the shadow behind them. It stood silent for a few moments. Then—
It left.
Without haste, without a sound, the monster turned around and disappeared back behind the trees, vanishing into the forest.
Silence.
A few seconds passed.
Then—
"I-I DID IT! RAZAQ! I DID IT!"
Usaid started jumping up and down. "I released something! That was me! Ra, you saw it, right?!"
Razaq remained standing, dazed. But slowly, fear gave way to wonder.
"Yeah. I saw it."
"THAT WAS MAGIC! I HAVE MAGIC!"
Usaid tried again. He closed his eyes, concentrating. Another shadow appeared—this time in the shape of a small tree nearby.
"IT WORKED AGAIN! Ra, look! I can make shadows!"
Razaq stepped closer, staring at the shadow. "This is your magic?"
"Yeah! Cool, isn't it?!"
"Cool." Razaq smiled. "Congratulations, Us."
Usaid stopped jumping and looked at Razaq. "Are you... jealous?"
Razaq shook his head. "Jealous? No. I'm happy."
"Really?"
"Really. Besides, my rival has to be strong. It's no fun if you're weak."
Usaid laughed. "You really are crazy!"
They both laughed. Laughter that wiped away the remnants of fear from minutes ago.
As afternoon turned to twilight, they headed home.
Usaid remained ecstatic along the way, constantly testing out his magic. Razaq walked beside him, chiming in occasionally.
"Us, try making a shadow of me."
Usaid closed his eyes. Concentrated. A shadow of Razaq appeared on the ground. But the shape was weird—the head was too big, the body too small.
"Ugly."
"Well, your face is ugly to begin with."
"No, your face is ugly."
They bickered playfully as they continued to walk.
Upon reaching home, Razaq immediately went to find his mother.
Relia was cooking in the kitchen. A small fire magic flame burned beneath the pot—a stable, bluish-red glow. Her magic grimoire hovered to her right.
"Mom."
Relia turned. "Oh, Razaq. You're home?"
"Mom, Usaid already has magic."
Relia stopped. The wooden spoon in her hand froze. "What?"
"Yeah, Mom. Back in the forest. He could make shadows."
Razaq told the story. About the approaching monster. About Usaid suddenly releasing something. About the shadows.
Relia listened intently. "Well, that's good. Usaid is amazing."
"Yeah." Razaq sat in a chair. "Mom, when will it be my turn?"
Relia approached and stroked Razaq's head. "Your turn will come soon. You're still small. There's still time."
"But why can Usaid do it now?"
"Everyone is different, son." Relia knelt down, looking into his eyes. "Some are fast, some are slow. The important thing is to be patient."
Razaq nodded. "Okay, Mom."
"Eat first. I cooked your favorite vegetables."
Razaq smiled. "Thanks, Mom."
That night, Razaq lay on his wooden cot. The room was small, only enough for the cot and a tattered wardrobe. There was a small window above—but it didn't offer a view of the tower. Only darkness.
He stared at the ceiling.
Usaid already has magic.
When will it be my turn?
But there was no sadness. No envy. Only the question.
"I will be an Archmage," he whispered. "For sure."
Outside, the night breeze blew softly.
Razaq closed his eyes.
He didn't know that this was the last peaceful night of his life.
But for tonight, he was just a little boy who had just made a grand promise with his best friend.